Let's Raise Awareness of Epilepsy in November! In addition to participating in our virtual END EPILEPSY Statewide Conference Learning Series on Zoom, the Epilepsy Foundation of Kentuckiana also needs YOUR help in raising epilepsy awareness throughout November! Considering 1 in 10 people will have a seizure and 1 in 26 will develop epilepsy during their lifetime, we need more people to learn seizure first aid to help save a life! Did you also know that epilepsy receives 10 times less funding than other brain disorders? It is important that we work together to make our voices heard to bring epilepsy to the forefront and encourage more people to be educated in seizure first aid! There are so many ways you can do this, even if you don't have a lot of time. Here is a list of ideas to get you started!
Share Your eJouney - Share your epilepsy story with the world, wherever you find yourself in the fight. This includes family, friends, caregivers, and anyone with an epilepsy journey. Videos, words, and photos all make this story real and can create understanding, support, and outcomes that can shift the tide in the battle our community faces every day. Read community stories and submit yours today for the national Epilepsy Foundation's eJourney Community blog.
Get Seizure First Aid Ready - The Seizure First Aid Ready On Demand training course is now available through epilepsy.com. This is a great resource that educates the public on the Epilepsy Foundation's basic procedures for responding to someone having a seizure. The Seizure First Aid Ready course, available online, anywhere, and at any time, is presented in an interactive eLearning format that includes animations, videos, and activities. After completing the course, participants will be able to recognize common seizures, identify correct and incorrect steps for helping a person having a seizure, and identify when it would be necessary to call 911 in the event of a seizure. Click here to access this 30-minute training course.
Take the #SeizureFirstAidCertificationChallenge - Take your epilepsy knowledge to the next level and become certified in seizure recognition and response. This program is offered by the Epilepsy Foundation of Kentuckiana twice a month, however, we will be hosting a special program on Tuesday, November 16 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Zoom in honor of Epilepsy Awareness Month. This course will provide a certification for 2 years and will cover recognition of and first aid for different seizure types, treatment options for epilepsy, when to call 911 for a seizure emergency, as well as how to best support a person who has epilepsy. Click here to register to be Seizure First Aid Certified!
Go Social To Encourage Action - Be sure to follow us on social media, change your Facebook profile picture, and share life-saving information about epilepsy on all of your social media platforms throughout Epilepsy Awareness Month! Challenge your friends to do the same and be sure to use the following hashtags with your posts: #NEAM2021, #SeizureFirstAid, #SeizureFirstAidChallenge.
Become an Epilepsy Awareness Ambassador - Epilepsy Awareness Ambassadors are passionate and dedicated volunteers tasked with virtually growing epilepsy awareness across their community. Ambassadors engage in monthly activities that promote all areas of the Epilepsy Foundation's mission to both people living with epilepsy and the general public. Choose your own volunteer opportunity based on your interests and availability. Click here to apply to be an Epilepsy Awareness Ambassador.
JUST FOR KIDS! Get Your Community Involved - We hope kids will be empowered to participate in National Epilepsy Awareness Month throughout November. There are so many things that you can do to help raise epilepsy awareness, such as:
Purple Shirt Day: Pick a day to wear a purple shirt or accessory to school and share the facts about epilepsy with your teachers and classmates. Invite others to join you ahead of time.
Get Creative: Use your artistic skills to create a poster or flyer with epilepsy facts and ask your teacher if you can post it on an announcement or bulletin board in your school building during the month of November.
Show Your Fall Spirit: Fall is here and pumpkins are everywhere! Raise awareness of epilepsy by painting your pumpkin purple so when people ask you why your pumpkin is purple, you can tell them all about epilepsy.
Share Information with Others: Ask your principal, teach, or coach if you can give a short presentation to your school, classroom, or sports team before or after the morning announcements or at practices/games. Talk about what epilepsy means to you.
Talk or Text Your Friends and Family: Work with your parents to call or text members of your extended family and friends and tell them how epilepsy has affected you or someone you know during the month of November. Encourage them to get seizure first aid certified by taking the Epilepsy Foundation of Kentuckiana's Seizure First Aid Certification Program on November 16.
Plant Purple Flowers: Plant or pot purple flowers, like mums or asters this November to honor people who are affected by epilepsy.
Paint the Town: Use sidewalk chalk to draw purple pictures and messages on your sidewalk and/or driveway throughout November in honor of Epilepsy Awareness Month.
